1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a gateway device and the like that connects networks having different protocols, to which a control device and a terminal appliance that is a non-control device are connected, and particularly to a gateway device and the like provided with a method for releasing, to the control device connected to a network having a protocol which is different from the protocol of the terminal appliance, information of the terminal appliance such as: a connection state to the network that the terminal appliance is connected to; and service that each terminal appliance can provide; and the attribute.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, systems have been described, the system in which: an application, a service and a device each creates a description of one's own ability; such description is released to other applications, other services, and other devices; various different networks are integrated into a unified framework; and various network entities each located in such networks find and interact with each other.
In addition, for example, a method is disclosed in which a user application can find various network devices and use such devices by integrating networks having different communication protocols into a single framework. (For example, please refer to Patent Reference 1.)
In addition, specifically, in recent years, network support for information appliances and audio-video appliances is in progress, and for example, the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) draws attention as a communication protocol to be used for such appliances, and the product application is already underway. From now on, as an ECHONET appliance, which uses, for example, the ECHONET that is a communication protocol in a home, has been systematized by integrating it with information appliances and audio-video appliances, it is desired that a UPnP device can be used also in such system.
Patent Reference 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 2001-290724 Publication